SYRACUSE, N.Y. — It’s a widespread problem that found it’s way to one of our own.
In May, CNY Central news producer Kaitlyn Genari said she came across a dog on its own on Syracuse’s Southside. The plan, at first, was to try to talk to the proper authorities; because it was after hours, Genari called the city’s help line. She said that the employee eventually told her to leave the dog behind.
“I was told to dump her where I left her if I couldn’t keep her. To me, that was incredibly alarming,” Genari said.
She said that city dog control was alarmed to hear about this when she called back in the morning, but they were unable to provide immediate assistance either. Genari said she called around to try to find space at shelters in Onondaga County, only to be told there’s just no room.
After weeks of putting off a vote, Common Councilors appear ready to take the first step towards establishing a city owned and operated dog shelter in Syracuse. The shelter would offer some degree of relief to a stray dog problem that advocates believe is unprecedented in the city.
“The calls come in daily for dogs that are roaming,” Stefanie Heath said.
Heath is a co-founder of the Cuse Pit Crew, an organization that helps people take care of dogs that might otherwise be too much of a financial burden. Heath explained that widespread economic problems are part of the root cause for the spike in strays.
“The issue we’re seeing now is dogs are being left in apartments, being put out on the street, they are really all over the community, and that is unlike anything we have ever seen before,” Heath said.
It means that shelters around Syracuse are constantly at capacity, unable to accept new strays. Some neighbors have told the I-Team that they have tried begging shelters to take dogs they’ve found on the street. The I-Team called city dog control, local shelters and rescues only to be told each time that everywhere is full just about constantly.
The Syracuse Parks and Recreation Department is in the early planning stages for a shelter that would operate 40-80 kennels. Commissioner Syeisha Byrd said that she understands the heartache associated with neighbors finding dogs only to learn there’s no way to help because she’s been there herself.
“Our city has to have a dog shelter. If we don’t run it, then who?” Byrd said.
Councilor Rasheada Caldwell agrees. As chair of the parks committee, she has continued to hold off votes on providing $500,000 in bonds to the parks department to enter the design phase for the shelter. The measure was first held on April 28 and has been held in every meeting since; Caldwell indicated during that first meeting that it was because her colleagues needed more information.
A committee meeting was not set up to discuss those details until early June; Caldwell believes once the parks department can provide renderings and line items associated with the projected $2 million cost of building the shelter, councilors will happily move forward. Some had skepticism about the viability of the proposed sites for the shelter; the parks department campus near the Inner Harbor or another plot of city controlled land across the street.
“We want to do it right,” Caldwell said.
According to Byrd, the shelter will not be finished by the end of 2025. Caldwell is hoping to see construction move quickly, given she said that this has been a top concern for those within city hall since at least 2021.
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